Psalm 46-49

Contemporary English Version

⁴ A river and its streams
    bring joy to the city,
which is the sacred home
    of God Most High.
⁵ God is in that city,
and it won't be shaken.
    He will help it at dawn.

⁶ Nations rage! Kingdoms fall!
But at the voice of God
    the earth itself melts.
⁷ The Lord All-Powerful
    is with us.
The God of Jacob
    is our fortress.

⁸ Come! See the fearsome things
    the Lord has done on earth.
⁹ God brings wars to an end
    all over the world.
He breaks the arrows,
shatters the spears,
    and burns the shields.^[a]
10 Our God says, “Calm down,
    and learn that I am God!
All nations on earth
    will honor me.”

¹¹ The Lord All-Powerful
    is with us.
The God of Jacob
    is our fortress.

⁵ God goes up to his throne,
as people shout
    and trumpets blast.
⁶ Sing praises to God our King,
⁷ the ruler of all the earth!
    Praise God with songs.

⁸ God rules the nations
    from his sacred throne.
⁹ Their leaders come together
and are now the people
    of Abraham's God.
All rulers on earth
surrender their weapons,
    and God is greatly praised!

⁴ Kings joined forces
    to attack the city,
⁵ but when they saw it,
they were terrified
    and ran away.
⁶ They trembled all over
    like women giving birth
⁷ or like seagoing ships^[b]
    wrecked by eastern winds.
⁸ We had heard about it,
and now we have seen it
    in the city of our God,
    the Lord All-Powerful.
This is the city that God
    will let stand forever.

⁹ Our God, here in your temple
    we think about your love.
¹⁰ You are famous and praised
    everywhere on earth,
as you win victories
    with your powerful arm.
¹¹ Mount Zion will celebrate,
and all Judah will be glad,
    because you bring justice.

¹² Let's walk around Zion
    and count its towers.
¹³ We will see its strong walls
    and visit each fortress.
Then you can say
    to future generations,
¹⁴ “Our God is like this forever
    and will always^[c] guide us.”

⁵ Why should I be afraid
    in times of trouble,
when I am surrounded
    by vicious enemies?
⁶ They trust in their riches
and brag about
    all their wealth.
⁷ You cannot buy back your life
    or pay off God!
⁸ It costs far too much
    to buy back your life.
You can never pay God enough
⁹ to stay alive forever
    and safe from death.

^10 (B) We see that wise people die,
    and so do stupid fools.
Then their money is left
    for someone else.
¹¹ The grave^[d] will be their home
    forever and ever,
although they once had land
    of their own.
¹² Our human glory disappears,
    and, like animals, we die.

¹³ Here is what happens to fools
and to those who trust
    the words of fools:^[e]
14 They are like sheep
with death as their shepherd,
    leading them to the grave.
In the morning God's people
    will walk all over them,^[f]
as their bodies lie rotting
    in their home, the grave.
¹⁵ But God will rescue me
    from the power of death.

¹⁶ Don't let it bother you
when others get rich
    and live in luxury.
¹⁷ Soon they will die
and all their wealth
    will be left behind.

¹⁸ We humans are praised
    when we do well,
and all of us are glad
    to be alive.
¹⁹ But we each will go down
    to our ancestors,
never again to see
    the light of day.
²⁰ Our human glory disappears,
    and, like animals, we die.